Ebook399 pages
The Plutonium Blonde
By John Zakour and Lawrence Ganem
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
4/5
()
About this ebook
A private detective searches for a plutonium-powered android in this “surprisingly clever” sci-fi noir that “spoofs the genre and everything else in sight” (Science Fiction Chronicle).
Zachary Nixon Johnson is the last private eye on earth—and in the pop culture-crazed world of 2057, that makes him a bit of a celebrity. It also makes him a magnet for trouble. But when the famous BB Starr, a former exotic dancer who is now the CEO of the world’s largest corporation, hires him to find her illegal, plutonium-powered, psychotic android clone, Zach knows that his life is about to get even weirder.
Once Zach starts investigating, his life is suddenly filled with unwanted publicity and unexplained assassination attempts. Not only is this case more trouble than it’s worth, but the mystery of the missing android is deeper than he thought. Together with his beautiful, kick-boxing surgeon girlfriend Electra, his genius inventor tech expert Randy, and his holographic, sentient super-computer sidekick HARV, Zach must find a way to unravel the mystery, find the missing android, and quite possibly save all humanity from total destruction.
Zachary Nixon Johnson is the last private eye on earth—and in the pop culture-crazed world of 2057, that makes him a bit of a celebrity. It also makes him a magnet for trouble. But when the famous BB Starr, a former exotic dancer who is now the CEO of the world’s largest corporation, hires him to find her illegal, plutonium-powered, psychotic android clone, Zach knows that his life is about to get even weirder.
Once Zach starts investigating, his life is suddenly filled with unwanted publicity and unexplained assassination attempts. Not only is this case more trouble than it’s worth, but the mystery of the missing android is deeper than he thought. Together with his beautiful, kick-boxing surgeon girlfriend Electra, his genius inventor tech expert Randy, and his holographic, sentient super-computer sidekick HARV, Zach must find a way to unravel the mystery, find the missing android, and quite possibly save all humanity from total destruction.
Read more from John Zakour
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Related to The Plutonium Blonde
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Reviews for The Plutonium Blonde
Rating: 3.9 out of 5 stars
4/5
10 ratings9 reviews
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5This book didn't work for me. I couldn't quite settle on whether the authors were lampooning the pulp genres or contributing to them, though it was unquestionable that they were lampooning our society. The humor was a bit forced and got old after a while (OK, I get it—Bill Gates is a god, everything is "New" and Hollywood does run everything!); the action never really got going; the smartest computer on the planet was less smart than the reader. I think A. Lee Martinez did a better job of mixing noir with science fiction in The Automatic Detective.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Think Sam Spade in 2032: Zachary Nixon Johnson is the last licensed PI on the planet. He has a psychic secretary, his girlfriend is a curvaceous, highly intelligent (think surgeon) ex-kick-boxing champ, and his best friend is the smartest computer on Earth. Stir in one missing (and deadly), plutonium-powered android, a wealthy corporation - missing aforesaid android - and a few annoying competitors from DickCo, and you've barely scratched the surface of a very good, slightly tongue-in-cheek, mystery.Campy, silly, predictable and fun. I've just started the sequel, The Doomsday Brunette, and it's right up the same alley.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This is what you get when Sam Spade, Indiana Jones, and Daniel Craig get mixed. A witty, irreverent celebrity detective (Who's over the celebrity part) who ends up saving the world on accident.The writing was punchy, funny and with good world-building. I believed there was stuff going on in the world before and after I closed the book.The mystery was fair (as in you could solve it if you wanted to and paid attention) and pretty well written with some twists and turns and red herrings.The characters may be the weak point, but it's a pulp novel, and they were interesting, had a bit of depth, and kept the plot moving.I enjoyed it and would read the next book in the series.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This book was so great! The world's last P.I., his AI sidekick (who lives in his head) and his smart, ass-kicking girlfriend save the world. Punny and witty.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Please note: I read and reviewed this book in 2007. Just copying over review from Amazon.Overview and Synopsis: In the year 2057 the world is brand new - everything is New - New New York, New New Mexico (the state) as well as New Mexico (the country). Zachary Nixon Johnson is the last licensed private investigator - the licensed bit is the important thing here. There are other private investigators (for example - the employees of DickCo) but none are licensed like Zachary! Gates is God and DOS is hell and news is down to the nano.When Zachary receives a call from BB Starr - an ex-exotic dancer who is now CEO of the largest corporation of the planet - he is naturally concerned. She is one of the richest and most powerful people on the planet - why does she need him? It turns out she requires his discretion and - unique - skills. So, with the help of HARV - his holographic assistant (who is the most intelligent computer in the world - and is, during the course of this adventure, implanted directly into his brain) - Carol, his psionic receptionist and potential future niece-in-law and Dr. Electra Gevada, his fiance, he sets out to track down BB-2. Of course, things aren't always as they seem. . .Review and recommendation: Always funny, constantly exciting and eminently readable, I cannot recommend this book enough. Zakour and Ganem play with the English language with all the virtuosity of a savant while keeping the story readable and the pace swift. Do yourself a favor and get this book!
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I enjoyed this book. Sometimes the puns were a little painful but nothing that will stop me from reading thhe next book.
A nice mix of science fiction and mystery. - Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Mid-21st Century private investigator Zachary Nixon Johnson takes a case to find the missing android doppleganger for BB Starr, ex-stripper, currently owner of the largest corporation on the planet, before the android kills anyone. He's aided by his computer, HARV. Fast-moving pulp adventure, billed as humor but the humor is a bit weak. The story itself is excellent and author John Zakour delivers a very satisfying pay-off.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This was a fun book, a bit heavy on the tired cliches, but in the end that became part of it's charm.This was a perfect book for someone who needed easy mindless fluff, and this fit the bill.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The traditionel noir PI setup, set in the future - the 2050's - with killer droids, clones and cars. Killer almost everything in fact. Zachary Nixon Johnson - the last PI on eart - is hired to find an escaped super droid. A droid who is psycotic, violent and modelled on a worldfamous exotic danser. Johnson gets attacked so often in the course of his investigations, it is impossible to keep count, but due to his obligatory tech genius associate and his toys, he escapes all attempts at his life relatively unscathed. He is accompanied by a super AI - who fills the role of cheeky sidekick - and the interactions between them are meant to funny, but although they did cause a few laughs they were few, and too far between.
Book preview
The Plutonium Blonde - John Zakour
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